Another Out-Of-Office Republican Sounds The Alarm Against Trump

I was no fan of Bill First (R-TN) when he was in the Senate (1995-2006), especially not while he served as Senate Majority Leader from 2003 until he retired, living up to a self-imposed term limits pledge. After he left the Senate, he said he would have voted for the Affordable Care Act and has urged Republicans to stop trying to repeal it. Yesterday, the Washington Post carried an OpEd by Frist, The Senate I led put country over party. This one must do the same for Robert Mueller, urging Republicans to actively support the Mueller investigation. No tweet from Trumpanzee... yet. He doers recognize that the GOP is a different party than it was when he was in office a little over a decade ago and takes a subtle swipe at them: "the good people still serving in the Senate." As opposed to the enablers and hacks?

When I retired from the U.S. Senate in 2007 as its majority leader, my parting words were a prayer for my colleagues to rise above the passions of the moment and protect the institution as a bulwark for our country’s enduring values. The Senate I served in was not devoid of partisanship, nor should it be, but my hope was that patriotism would always take priority over party.

It is with some trepidation that I offer thoughts on how the good people still serving in the Senate should address a current crisis, but staying silent is no longer an option. Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III is under assault, and that is wrong. No matter who is in the White House, we Republicans must stand up for the sanctity of our democracy and the rule of law.

Certainly, my former colleagues face difficult pressures. They go to work in a Washington that is divided. They want to ensure a Supreme Court that, like most of our citizens, understands that government power must be limited. They want a fair tax code that supports a growing economy. They want less regulation. By those measures, President Trump is a great partner at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue. But we can’t look the other way as, tweet by tweet, with each new assault on the Justice Department’s independence, the bedrock principles of our party crumble.

I’m a Republican because I stand for small government and also, as a physician, for the dignity of every life. But I am also a Republican because I believe in the rule of law. Republicans must fight for that principle today-- even if it means pushing back against a Republican administration. As a party, we can’t let the president or his allies erode the independence of the Justice Department or public trust in the vital work of law enforcement. That would be true even if the stakes were much lower, but it is overwhelmingly so when it comes to investigating foreign interference in our elections. Congress must ensure that Mueller is able to do his job without interference or intimidation.

Nobody knows what the special counsel’s investigation will conclude. I, for one, do not think the president colluded with Russian President Vladimir Putin to win the 2016 election. But I do believe Putin purposely tried to undermine our democratic process.

It isn’t easy to tell a president of your own party that he is wrong. But the assault on Mueller’s investigation does not help the president or his party. When Trump talks about firing the special counsel or his power to pardon himself, he makes it seem as though he has something to hide. The president must remember that only Mueller’s exoneration can lift the cloud hanging over the White House.

The special counsel’s investigation is not about Trump. It is about our national security. Every American should be rooting for Mueller’s success in determining precisely how Russia interfered in our fundamental democratic process. I had no illusions about the Soviet Union during the Cold War, and I have none about Putin now. Mueller’s most recent court filings indicate that Putin is seeking to meddle in this year’s elections. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats and FBI Director Christopher A. Wray-- all Trump appointees confirmed by the Republican-led Senate-- have also warned of foreign interference. We should heed these warnings and empower Mueller to see his important work through to its conclusion.

I have worried over the years about runaway legal authority, and I’ve battled against activist judges. I don’t worry about Robert Mueller. He is a lifelong Republican with a career of distinguished service running the Criminal Division of the Justice Department for President Ronald Reagan and serving as President George W. Bush’s FBI director, twice unanimously confirmed by the Senate. And his investigation is getting results: By any objective standard, he has moved swiftly, obtaining 23 indictments and five guilty pleas in just more than a year.

Congress must never abandon its role as an equal branch of government. In this moment, that means protecting Mueller’s investigation. We’re at our best as senators and Republicans when we defend our institutions. But more than that, it’s our best face as Americans.

People around the world admire not just the material well-being of the United States but our values, too. The rule of law is something many die trying to secure for their countries. We can’t afford to squander it at home.

When Frist retired in 2006, he spent a great deal of time and energy helping Bob Corker win his open seat. And it was a very close call. Without Frist's Corker might not have won, against wretched Blue Dog Harold Ford.

• Bob Corker- 929,911 (50.7%)
• Harold Ford, Jr.- 879,976 (48.0%)

Now Corker, having served 2 terms, is retiring, just as Frist had. He's made it obvious that he's no fan of Trump's, although, when it comes to voting, he rarely stands up to him, primarily because they see eye-to-eye on policy. There are 5 Republican senators who vote less frequently with Trump than Corker: Susan Collins (ME), John McCain (AZ), Jeff Flake (AZ), Mike Lee (UT) and Lisa Murkowski (AK). But Corker has little to fear from Trump now. Unless Trump can peel off a Democrat-- Corker has the leverage to extract something out of Trump by threatening toot against his SCOTUS nomination. Frist should talk with him about Mueller independence.

Chip Proser's recipe for Spaghetti Putinesca... do not try this at home

It's our last chance to answer Doctorbill Frist's survey exploring Republican campaign priorities

It's no doubt in the nature of things that mailing-list compilers sometimes compile people they don't mean to. Ourselves, we have somehow become e-confideantes of two of our favorite Republigoons: former Senate Majority Leader Doctorbill Frist of Tennessee and his successor, Miss Mitch McConnell of neighboring Kentucky.

For a while we used to open their e-epistles for purposes of amusement, the entertainment value quickly wore thin. And lately Miss Mitch's e-mails have mostly reeked of desperation regarding his reelection campaign.

Today, however, something made us open one from Doctorbill. It seems he wants input from us, his fellow Republicans. (I'm guessing he also wants money, but let's take him at face value.)

Will you take a few minutes now and complete a eight question survey for me? Over 8,000 voters have completed this survey already and I want to make sure your answers to these questions are included because I intend to share the results with key members of the Republican Leadership in Congress and the candidates VOLPAC is supporting in the months ahead.

This is your final opportunity to take this portion of the survey.

My team and I have tried to make this 2008 Republican Leadership Survey unique. From the answers we gather, we will send a followup survey to you with 5-6 more detailed questions. Here are some of the questions we ask.

What follows are three questions presumably taken from the survey. We confess that we didn't have the stomach to look at the full survey (if anyone's really interested, we could still hit that link), and not having seen the actual survey, we can only hope that those poor Republicans on Senator Doctorbill's e-mail list have been provided with multiple-choice answers. Just in case, however, we have thrown in some suggested answers.


President Bush has shown great resolve in his determination to stabilize Iraq and deny it as a safe haven from our enemies. Do you feel the Republican members of Congress have also stood strong with President Bush on Iraq?

(a) yes
(b) no
(c) the Global War on Terror
(d) huh? Republican members of Congress actually stand? (I guess every now and then they have to get up to get the bottle of ink to reink the stamp pad for their rubber-stamping)

Which issue would you like to see Republican presidential nominee pursue most aggressively on your behalf?

(a) the Global War on Terror Inc.
(b) send immygrunts back where they come from
(c) finish border fence (or anyways start border fence) so as to keep out damn islamofascio-mexicans
(d) do you perhaps mean "the Republican presidential nominee," Doctorbill?

Which of the following accomplishments do you feel is President Bush's greatest achievement?

(a) the Global War on Terror LLP
(b) occupying the White House for 8 yrs despite zero qualifications--least qualified major-party candidate for president in the history of the American republic
(c) demolishing the Constitution
(d) turning the Dept of Justice into a wholly partisan enforcement division for extreme right-wing ideology
(e) wholly politicizing [fill in name of government agency]
(f) watching Iraq be destroyed
(g) watching the U.S. military be destroyed
(h) watching New Orleans be destroyed
(i) making friends and cronies rich . . . er, richer
(j) making U.S.A. hated by rest of world
(k) other ____________________

Don't forget, it's Seersucker Thursday. Hide the kids! And if Rick Santorum or Billy "White Shoes" Frist should show up, just throw the bum out!

Note to Senate bouncer: You see either of these
lovebirds, toss him out on his ass. They're history.

Yes, friends, the dreaded day is here! Our friend Melody, who's been providing the background material for DWT's extensive Seersucker Thursday 2007 coverage, also dug up these photos for us--from Seersucker Thursday 2004! Setting aside the small matter of this being Your U.S. Senate at Work, if this doesn't make you feel better about wherever you are and whatever you're doing, nothing will.


POSTSCRIPT: A SEERSUCKER FAN'S DILEMMA

The DWT Ethics-in-Style Department has received the following heart-rending e-mail:

Dear DownWithTyranny Ethics-in-Style Dept.:

I've been following DWT's Seersucker Thursday 2007 coverage with fascination and horror, and seen the stomach-churning pictures. My problem is that I own a seersucker suit, which I used to like to wear sometimes in the summer. Oh, it creases like crazy, and stains something awful, and is hell to try to keep clean, but on those really hot days it can feel a lot cooler than a normal "summer" suit. (Would you believe, in my lousy job I've got to wear a suit! It really is a lousy, low-paying, dead-end job, but these days I figure I'm lucky to have it.) And I have to say, I even kind of like the look of it.

Or I used to. Now that photo of Rick Santorum with the pink tie is causing me nightmares. What do I do? I mean, I have this powerful impulse to burn the damn thing. Help!

Tom in Cincinnati

Well, Tom, this is a tough one. We would never encourage you to destroy property that you paid for with your oh-so-hard-earned money, all the more so since you once liked the suit.

On the other hand, there's no getting around those photos--although perhaps the Seersucker Thursday 2007 coverage will make it seem less like a perversion of ultra-right-wing loons. (Will we see Harry Reid in seersucker? Would that be good news or bad for seersucker fans?)

Maybe other DWT readers will have some helpful thoughts for you, but in the end, Tom, this is strictly a matter between you and your conscience. With one obvious caveat: for the love of God, no white shoes.

Oh man, is it Seersucker Thursday already? And all my seersucker's at the dry cleaner! (I get all my fashion tips from Trent Lott and Thad Cochran)

"It's crinkly, cool and comfortable," says Hattiesburg haberdasher John White.

You're chugging along, trying to keep the wolf at bay, and suddenly you realize that this Thursday is Seersucker Thursday! One of the fashion-savvy days on the Senate calendar. Man alive, where does the time go? My goodness, do you realize that this is the last shopping day before the big day?

Yup, seersucker's in the air. The biggest event on the fashion calendar since Spats Saturday. Boys and girls across the country dressing like mini-versions of their fashion gurus, Trent Lott [the fashion god pictured here], Thad Cochran, and apparently Dianne Feinstein (see below).

So mothball those heavy wool suits and the thermal underwear, and break out your seersucker.

Hattiesburg (Mississippi) American

Seersucker: A classic Southern look for summer

By Rachel Leifer Norman

Seersucker - like any timeless classic, it never goes out of style. And with summer's official kick-off this week, it's time for the Pine Belt to settle in to seersucker. [Pictured here: seersucker aficionado, Mississippi's other senator, Thad Cochran.]

"To me, it looks like the South," said John White, owner of John White Ltd. men's and women's fashion boutique on South 40th Avenue. "It makes you think immediately about a Southern guy in his suit going to church in the summer, or pairing the pants with some white bucks and a navy blazer and heading to an afternoon wedding."

Few fabrics are as evocative of a particular place and culture as seersucker, the light-weight woven cotton material traditionally presented in blue-and-white-stripes. It's generally more economical than wool and more low-maintenance than linen - but that it's all but synonymous with steamy Southern summers is its true attraction.

Think seersucker and the image instantly springs to mind of a prosperous businessman taking a stroll on a honeysuckle-scented evening, or a shrewd attorney working after hours in his office under a lazily rotating ceiling fan.

But seersucker isn't just for silver-headed gents anymore. In the last few years, White has begun carrying seersucker shorts, shirts and other separates in tropical colors like lime, pink and orange. Women are donning the fabric in skirts, suits and sleeveless summer button-downs.

"You can dress it up or down," White said, noting that a seersucker blazer does wonders for a pair of jeans, and that a surcingle belt in the proper shade is a perfect accompaniment.

For more formal occasions, "you can set it off just right with a white or a pink button-down shirt, even a yellow tie," he said.

Unfortunately, the fabric's mix-and-match versatility seems to have diminished the appeal of the classic look, a full seersucker suit. But the tradition is being maintained in the U.S. Senate, where lawmakers observe "Seersucker Thursday." Officials as unexpected as Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. [right], are taking their summertime fashion cues from Mississippi's Republican Sens. Thad Cochran and Trent Lott, who according to published reports never fail to don their seersucker every week.

So be bold - set those dull khakis aside and be a part of this Southern summer fashion tradition. White said he can order seersucker in a kaleidoscope of colors and cuts and have it specially tailored within three days.

"It's crinkly, cool and comfortable," he said.

For the record, last year (according to The Hill) "some 20 senators" showed up in seersucker, the list headed by then-Majority Leader Doctorbill Frist, who went whole-hog, donning white shoes. Since then, the Tennessee fashion magnet has all but disappeared from public view. Reason enough to celebrate, I think. But there's more. Last year's Seersucker Thursday, which apparently coincided with Pretty in Pink Day on the fashion calendar of then-Sen. Rick Santorum, left this unforgettable image, which reportedly sent small children all over the country screaming into their mothers' arms, and had them suffering nightmares for months to follow:

Can you believe that a mere year ago this yutz was still taken seriously?